[bthewilde]

Ok,
I know that bear defense comes up over and over again. I can't find anything though about a Mare's Leg in .44 magnum, .45 colt or .410.
Would .410 even work for Black Bears?
I am so torn the more and more I look around. Mare's legs, revolvers, 10mm seems to be hot right now. The good ol' 12g in Mossberg Shockwave, yada yada.
So I am wondering if ya'lls think a .44 mag or .45 colt, or .410 shotgun Mare's leg might be better than a revolver? I'm just talking Black Bears and here. Someday I'll go to Alaska, but that is a different type of Bear Defense. Going to pinch pennies for now and keep packing my Bear spray (probably always will, but would love a gun some day).

 

[Lone_Hunter]

These days I'm packing a glock20 SF, which is way nicer then that 1911A1 I was carrying for years. More powerful round, twice the ammo capacity. Not to mention the handgun itself is lighter being a polymer frame.

 

[Springville Shooter]

When I'm out and about, I carry a G40 in a chest holster. I've found that this is the best place to keep the sidearm out of my way while still keeping it handy. I guess it would work fine if a bear attacked me but I think the chances are high that if I am ever attacked, it will be by a sinister two-legged predator.------SS

 

[Critter]

I have to say that every bear that I have encountered out in the wilds of Utah and Colorado has taken off and left the scene as soon as they saw me. Even hunting out in the Book Cliffs where the bear population is quite high every bear has turned tail and ran out of the area.

If I was to pack a pistol for bear defense it would mostly be for a noise maker to scare them off. Even those that I know that have had bears in their camps all they needed to do was to shoot a firearm into the air and the bear was off and running.

Pick whatever one you like

 

[Al Hansen]

When I worked at the old Pro Arms on Redwood Rd. people would come in and say they where headed to Alaska to fish and wanted to know what they should take along for bear protection. We had 2 recommendations for them. One was a Mossberg Defender 8 shot , 18 inch barrel and a pistol grip loaded with slugs on a sling so you could swing from your back real quick . Second recommend was a ,44 Mag of whatever make you wanted to carry. Back then that was it. Now I would go with the same shotgun but for a pistol I'd choose the .460 or 500 S&W. Just my 2 Cents worth.

 

[DreadedBowHunter]

The problem is encountering a mama bear while wandering around in strange pattern(playing winds). I carry my 1911 on my pack and only shoot 230g ball ammo out of it as it was designed to shoot 🫡 I’d like a .44mag but my wife won’t let me get a new shiny pewpew, either she thinks I might be underpowered for a bear or she knows I’ll be saying “my precious” too much 🤔

 

[taxidermist]

I carry my Kimber .45 ACP also in a chest holster with hand loaded 185g Hornady XTP. It's light and comfortable to carry and most important....I'm very efficient and comfortable with it.

 

[Lone_Hunter]

When I'm out and about, I carry a G40 in a chest holster. I've found that this is the best place to keep the sidearm out of my way while still keeping it handy. I guess it would work fine if a bear attacked me but I think the chances are high that if I am ever attacked, it will be by a sinister two-legged predator.------SS

Yeah, predators come in the four and two legged variety. As four legged ones go, it's not the bears that worry me, so much as the cats. Two legged ones, odds are encountering one is higher today then it was in the past. There's been a signfiicant change in the mountains over the last couple years as the type of people you'll encounter. I'm seeing ****, that I've never seen before. Gangland tagging/graffitti in a camp site on the nebo for instance. Never saw that before, and I hope I never will again.

Anyway, i've been carrying a G20 in a holster that attaches to my bino case since I always have it on me. Easily reached, always on me, never left behind, and people can see that I'm carrying. Some of the people who recently moved here will be uncomfortable (don't care), most people who've been here awhile don't care and probably carry themselves, and any 2 legged predators can visually see I'm not an easy target.